Pune News: Petitioners Demand Urgent Action On Flood Line Encroachments Following Shocking MERI Data  

Pune: Sarang Yadwadkar, Vivek Velankar, and Vijay Kumbhar, petitioners in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL 36/2021), have raised grave concerns over the redefined flood lines of Pune’s rivers. They allege that the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) shifted flood lines illegally toward the river’s center to facilitate construction on flood plains, without proper studies or approvals. This issue was brought to light during a Bombay High Court hearing on June 26, 2024. 

The High Court, emphasizing the importance of accurately demarcating flood lines to prevent urban flooding, directed a comprehensive review and formation of a high-level committee chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary (Water Resources). Subsequently, the Maharashtra Engineering Research Institute (MERI), Nashik, was tasked with determining new flood quantities for the Blue (25-year flood) and Red (100-year flood) lines.  

Shocking Flood Quantities Revealed by MERI:

Recently, MERI submitted its findings, revealing flood quantities significantly higher than the earlier values used to demarcate flood lines. The discrepancies are alarming:  

– Mutha River: Red line flood quantities increased from 100,000 CuSecs to 254,719 CuSecs (a 2.55x rise).  

– Mula River (up to Pawana): Red line flood quantities rose from 58,968 CuSecs to 159,516 CuSecs (a 2.7x rise).  

– Mula-Mutha River: Red line flood quantities jumped from 168,000 CuSecs to 454,369 CuSecs (a 2.7x rise).  

Petitioners’ Demands:  

The petitioners have called for urgent action in light of these findings to ensure public safety:  

1. Immediate Removal of Encroachments: PMC, PCMC, and the state government must act promptly to clear all encroachments on floodplains.  

2. Stop Dumping in Riverbeds: All debris or other forms of dumping must be halted immediately.  

Background:

The State Government approved Pune’s Development Plan in 2017, during which PMC allegedly manipulated flood lines to enable construction on flood-prone land in collusion with the then Executive Engineer of the Water Resources Department. These actions have now been challenged in court, leading to the current review of flood lines.  

Petitioners’ Statement:

“The new flood quantities shared by MERI highlight the severe underestimation in previous calculations. To ensure the safety of Pune’s citizens, authorities must act on a war footing to prevent further risk,” the petitioners said.  

This development underscores the critical need for stringent adherence to urban planning and environmental safeguards to prevent catastrophic flooding in Pune.